This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §§ 119 and/or 365 to Patent Application Serial No. DE 20313185.1, filed in Germany on Aug. 23, 2003, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to a light bulb receptacle insertable through a holding ring which is fixed to a housing of a light assembly. The receptacle is insertable into a reflector and is removable from the housing.
Such a receptacle for a light bulb base is known from EP 1 284 388 with a design as it can be found particularly for light assemblies or headlights of motor vehicles. It has an axial length corresponding to the length of the base of the light bulb, which is inserted into the front of a bayonet-type element. The receptacle is pulled out to the rear together with the light bulb from the shaped holding ring in the reflector, which means, in opposite direction from the direction of the light beam so that the headlight lens does not have to be removed during replacement of the light bulb. The receptacle is equipped at its rear extension with a handling piece for such manual handling, which makes holding and turning of the receptacle easier using one's fingertips.
However, such a handling piece is no longer adequate if the holding ring receiving the receptacle can be reached only through a narrow, deep cavity. Such circumstances can be found if the design of the light does not require the light-producing aspects as a first consideration, but to contribute to the design of the equipment, such as a vehicle body, which is to be furnished with lights fitting a proposed design. Above all, an angled and small-constructed blinking signal light used as driving direction signals on an edge of vehicle body is currently nearly impossible to access to manually replace light bulbs. In addition, the defined reflection geometry requires an accurate positioning of the light bulb filament in front of the reflector relative to the focus point of the reflector and the secure upkeep of contact for electrical power supply to the receptacle and the light bulb inserted therein, which is to be guaranteed even under extremely high heat development in the vicinity of the light bulb receptacle through a halogen bulb.
The invention is therefore based on the technical problem to design a receptacle of this generic type in such a manner that a light bulb can be easily removed by hand, even at positions that are extremely difficult to access, and which can be subsequently operated without being negative influenced by the development of heat.